In this world of overprotective parents kids are sheltered and raised naive and sensitive. As a community, it should be our duty to expose them to the type of literature that takes them out of their comfort zones and informs them about real world issues. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas completely fulfills this criteria, and as a result, it should be taught in the grade 9 curriculum. The book discusses many taboo topics, while at the same time relates to the real world by confronting many social issues in the book and connecting them to real life. The normally taboo content and language that this book contains can be used to encourage students to not only talk, but inquire about these topics at school as well. With drug use becoming very popular …show more content…
This quote talks about police brutality against minorities. Starr was forced to compromise her identity in order to not seem suspicious to the police man. Thomas emphasizes the element of fear in the garden heights community by insinuating that every parent of a black child has to discuss their behaviour when a cop is present. The world Angie Thomas created in The Hate U Give is extremely similar to the one we live in. Because of societies fear to address this problem at an early age kids have been growing up believe stereotypes such as black people are all criminals. By studying books like The Hate U Give and talking about their relation to real life students will learn to not always believe stereotypes, and to only judge a person after you meet them. As the story progresses Starr’s relationship with Hailey experiences many tensions and in the end all bonds between them are severed. The quote “Ho-ly s*it, Starr! Seriously? After everything we’ve been through, you think I’m racist? Really? You can say something racist and not be a racist!” shows that Hailey thought that even if you say racist things you are not racist if you do not think so (Thomas 112). Furthermore hailey refuses to talk about her racist remarks because she is scared of being labeled a racist by her friends. Later in the story Hailey is one of the many students to use the Williamson protest as an excuse to get out of school. Unlike Maya, who listened to Starr and understood why participating in the protest was wrong, Hailey chooses to not listen to Starr and argue instead. Hailey is just one of the culturally insensitive characters that Thomas puts into the story to connect it to real life. When student identify these meaningful connections they will obtain a higher level of understanding of why the use of stereotypes and racism is